英國立法要禁止寵物店買賣寵物?大綱

PET shops could be banned from selling puppies and kittens under plans unveiled by ministers last night.

自8月21日晚起，英部長下令：寵物店禁止出售寵物。

Anyone buying or adopting a pet less than six months old will have to deal directly with the breeder or a rescue centre under the proposed ban.

禁令規定：購買或者領養6個月以下的寵物應直接和飼養員或寵物救助中心聯繫。

The move aims to reduce serious health problems and socialisation issues which afflict pets kept in poor conditions by unscrupulous, profit-driven breeders.

此舉旨在減少健康隱患以及相關的社會問題，因爲有些飼養者缺乏道德感、或由利益驅使，把寵物飼養在惡劣的環境下。

It comes on the back of the prominent Lucy's Law campaign which calls for an immediate halt to the sale of young pets by third-party commercial dealers.

本法令是由著名的Lucy's Law運動推動從而實施，該運動呼籲即刻叫停第三方買賣幼崽。

Environment Secretary Michael Gove paid tribute to the campaign, saying: “A ban on third-party sales will ensure the nation's much-loved pets get the right start in le who have a complete disregard for pet welfare will no longer be able to profit from this miserable trade.”

環境部部長高夫對此舉表示讚揚，他說：“禁止通過第三方買賣寵物會讓寵物們有個更好的開始。那些無視寵物福利的人將不能從交易中獲利。”

A petition supporting Lucy's Law has been signed by nearly 150,000 people and was debated in Parliament in May.

今年5月份，15萬人共同簽署了一份名爲Lucy's Law的倡議書並遞交到議會進行商討。

Marc Abraham, of the Pup Aid campaign, said irresponsible breeders have for years used third parties to keep themselves hidden from the buying public and the proposed ban will make all breeders accountable.

寵物救助運動負責人亞伯拉罕說，這些年來一些不負責任的飼養者通過第三方隱姓埋名，這項法案可以增加飼養者的可信度。

Paula Boyden, veterinary director at the Dogs Trust, welcomed the move but said additional steps were needed to safeguard the health of pets.

全國犬防禦協會的獸醫部主任保拉對此舉表示熱烈歡迎，但她也表示，還需要採取其他額外的措施來保障寵物健康。